Self-latching hinge



y 1968 T. T. 'r. JERILA ET AL 3,381,332

SELF-LATCHING HINGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 20, 1966 2 ,0 Tm m R M N M 2 E 5 0 VJ H a TKH s u Z m M United States Patent 3,381,332 SELF-LATCHING HINGE Torsti T. T. Jerila, West Covina, and Viles K. Fremstad,

Pomona, Califi, assignors to Ajax Hardware Manufacturing Corp., City of Industry, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Sept. 20, 1966, Ser. No. 580,779 Claims. (Cl. 16-139) This invention relates to a self-latching hinge for use in mounting cabinet doors and the like to doorframes, said hinge being of the type wherein normal hinged movement of the door relative to the frame is permitted up to the last few degrees of movement of the door toward closed position, at which point, the hinge is effective to resiliently urge the door into fully closed position and releasably resiliently retain the door in said fully closed position, thereby eliminating the need for other latching means between the door and the frame. Even more particularly, this invention relates to a selflatching hinge of the foregoing character wherein the self-latching mechanism thereof is formed by a latch carriage assembly which may be constructed as a selfcontained unit, at least the major portion of which may be preassembled remote from and prior to the assembly thereof with the remainder of the hinge. After such preassembly, the latch carriage assembly is merely inserted in a pocket or chamber provided between the hinge members of the hinge and is retained in operative relationship with said hinge members by engagement with the normal hinge pin.

Various prior forms of hinges of the self-latching type have been provided, all of which have been for the purpose of resiliently urging doors to closed position in order to eliminate the necessity of other latching means for said doors. Furthermore, certain of these prior constructions have been of the type involved herein and as discussed above, wherein the doors may be hingedly movable in a normal manner throughout the major portion of the movement thereof, with the exception of the last few degrees of movement toward the fully closed position, at which point the hinges are constructed for resiliently urging the doors into and retaining said doors in the fully closed position. This latter type of self-latching hinge is preferable for mounting cabinet doors on cabinets, since said hinge permits free access to the interior of the cabinet when the cabinet door is moved to fully opened position without the necessity of holding the door in said open position, yet resiliently retains the door in closed position once the door has been purposely moved into fully closed position.

One of the major difficulties with the prior selflatching hinge constructions of the type herein involved is that such constructions have been relatively complicated in nature, requiring complex spring systems and spring assemblies in order to provide the relatively complex latching function. Additionally, in order to include the self-latching mechanism, and particularly in the limited space involved, it has been necessary to form the hinge members of special and involved configurations, including various permanently formed tabs and other means for retaining the various portions and springs of the selflatching mechanism. Still further, the spring assemblies of the prior constructions have been arranged for acting directly against the hinge members, thereby requiring that the hinge members be of increased thickness and strength from those normally provided in a hinge assembly not having the self-latching feature.

As a result, where a self-latching mechanism is to be included in the hinge member assembly, the size and configuration of the hinge members have been dependent to a great extent on the particular size and strength of "ice the self-latching mechanism required for the particular application. For instance, if the doors to be hingedly mounted by the hinge members are relatively large and heavy, requiring increased or maximum self-latching strength, not only must the springs of the self-latching mechanism be relatively heavy and of maximum resilient force, but the hinge members against which these springs react must also be of increased size and strength. On the other hand, where the doors to be mounted are relatively light, the hinge members and self-latching mechanism may be relatively light and of minimum strength.

Thus, with the prior self-latching mechanisms, the size and strength of the hinge members has been directly dependent on the resilient force required of the selflatching mechanism in order to carry out the self-latching feature. As a practical matter, the result has been that where hinge members are to include the self-latching mechanism and self-latching feature, the hinge members have been formed of increased size and strength in order to satisfactorily perform the self-latching function, even under the worst conditions of door weight and even though the same hinge members and self-latching mechanism may be used with doors of much less weight and requiring much less hinge member and self-latching mechanism strength. The overall result has been that the cost of providing the self-latching feature in the prior hinge constructions has been relatively high.

It is, therefore, an object of our invention to provide a self-latching hinge wherein the size and strength of the hinge members has little, if any, relationship to the selflatching strength of the self-latching mechanism thereof. The springs of the self-latching mechanism form a part of a latch carriage assembly, which latch carriage assembly includes a carriage member. The entire urging of the springs is directly against such carriage member and not against the hinge members, as was the case of the prior constructions.

It is a further object of our invention to provide a self-latching hinge wherein the entire self-latching mechanism is arranged as a latch carriage assembly, with the springs thereof acting directly against a carriage member so that any increased strength required in the overall hinge assembly may be provided in the carriage member and it is not necessary to provide the strength in the hinge members. The latch carriage assembly may be provided as virtually a complete preassembled unit, being assembled with the hinge members during the final stages of assembly thereof merely through the insertion of the hinge pin which hingedly connects the hinge members. The results are those of simplicity of assembly and cost savings not heretofore possible with the prior constructions.

It is still another object of our invention to provide a self-latching hinge of the foregoing type in which the latch carriage assembly may consist of merely a carriage, resilient means preferably in the form of a spring, and a latch member, with at least the carriage and spring being preassembled separate from the hinge members and assembled with said hinge members as a single unit. Also, the latch member may be provided as part of the preassembled separate unit, all relatively simply assembled with the hinge members as a single unit merely by insertion of the hinge pin in the conventional manner through the hinge members and simultaneously through portions of the latch carriage assembly. The provision of the selflatching mechanism as a separate latch carriage assembly makes possible the provision of various latch carriage assemblies having springs therein of various resilient urging strength so that using the identical hinge construction, self-latching mechanisms of various strengths may be provided to adapt the self-latching hinge to any conditions of door weight encountered for proper functioning of the self-latching feature.

It is an additional object of our invention to provide a self-latching hinge of the foregoing character in which latch carriage assemblies having latch members of various contours and types may be provided for meeting the particular service conditions encountered, such as different weights and balances of cabinet doors. In this way, again, complete versatility for the self-latching hinge is provided and the hinge may be adapted to properly function under virtually any service conditions.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and the accompanying drawings which are for the purpose of i1lustra-' tion only, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an embodiment of the self-latching hinge according to the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, rear elevational view of the hinge of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, vertical, sectional view taken along the broken line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, enlarged, horizontal, sectional view taken along the broken line 44 in FIG. 1 and showing the hinge in door closed position;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 and showing the hinge in a door open position;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the carriage removed from the latch carriage assembly of the hinge of FIGS. 1 through 5;

FIG. 7 is a horizontal, sectional view similar to FIG. 4 and showing a modified form of the hinge;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 and showing a further modified form of the hinge;

FIG. 9 is a vertical, sectional view similar to FIG. 3 and showing a further modified form of the hinge;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 and showing a further modified form of the hinge;

'FIG. 11 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional view showing a further modified form of latch carriage assembly for use with the hinge of FIGS. 1 through 5; and

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 11 and showing a further modified form of latch carriage assembly.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 5 of the drawings, a self-latching hinge incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown as including a first hinge member generally indicated at having axially spaced and aligned outer hinge knuckles 22 and a central or intermediate hinge knuckle 24 receiving in usual interfitting and axially aligned relationship a pair of axially spaced and aligned hinge knuckles 26 of a second hinge member 28, all of said hinge knuckles in said interfitting and axially aligned position receiving a hinge pin 30 continuously axially therethrough for hingedly connecting the first and second hinge members for movement relative to each other. Each of the first and second hinge members 20 and 28 are conventionally formed with fastener openings 32 for mounting the hinge members, one on a frame (not shown) and one on an adjacent door (not shown), thereby mounting the door hingedly movable relative to the frame. As thus far described, the hinge members 20 and 28, as well as the hinged connection thereof and securement to the frame and door, are generally of usual construction and may be formed of the usual metal materials, as may be the remainder of the self-latching hinge to be hereinafter described.

For purposes of the present invention, the first hinge member 20 is provided with a connecting portion 34 projecting outwardly from a fastening portion 36 and positioning the outer and intermediate hinge knuckles 22 and 24 spaced outwardly from the fastening portion. The second hinge member 28 is provided with a similar outwardly projecting connecting portion 38 projecting between a fastening portion 40 and the hinge knuckles 26, said connecting portion 38 being spaced from the first hinge connecting portion 34 so as to form a generally axially extending, inwardly opening latch carriage chamber 42 therebetween. The outer hinge knuckles 22 of the first hinge member 20 and the hinge knuckles 26 of the second hinge member 28 are conventionally formed, preferably circumferentially wrapped virtually 360 to provide usual hollow cylindrical sleeves, but the intermediate hinge knuckle 24 of the first hinge member is only circumferentially wrapped in the order of 250 to 270, as best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, forming an exposed, generally axially extending knuckle end 44 having a knuckle end surface 46 angling approximately 50 to a direct radial line and forming the termination of a knuckle outer circumferential surface 48. The intermediate hinge knuckle 24 of the first hinge member 20 thereby forms a knuckle recess 50 extending axially of and opening into the latch carriage chamber 42.

A latch carriage assembly generally indicated at 52 and forming, along with the intermediate hinge knuckle 24 of the first hinge member 20, the self-latching feature of the present invention is received in the latch carriage chamber 42 between the first and second hinge members 20 and 28 in a manner to be hereinafter described more in detail. The latch carriage assembly 52 includes a carriage 54, shown separately in FIG. 6, preferably formed unitary and having an integral engagement member 56 with the oppositely axially depending tabs 58, axially spaced spring mounting legs 60 and axially spaced hinge pin receiving portions 62 integral on the spring engagement legs. The hinge pin receiving portions 62 are provided with axially aligned hinge pin openings 64, and the spring mounting legs 60 are provided with axially outwardly depending, generally L-shaped spring seats 66 and axially aligned, oblong spring slots 68, said slots being radially spaced from and extending radially away from the hinge pin openings 64 of the hinge pin receiving portions 62.

The latch carriage assembly 52 is completed by a unique spring 70 preferably formed of usual resilient spring wire and a latch member 72 formed, in this case, tubular and preferably from plastic, said latch member also in this case being polygonal in radial cross section and having circumferentially spaced projecting portions 74 separated by intermediate recess portions 76. The spring 70 is formed with a generally axially extending latch engagement portion 78 terminating axially in continuous oppositely depending end portions 80, which end portions extend reversely generally axially inwardly andterminate spaced axially apart, as well as spaced from the latch engagement portion. As best seen in FIG. 3, the end portions 80 of the spring 70 are generally U-shaped forming merely a loop in the reversing extension thereof which will provide the necessary desired resilient force required under most normal self-latching conditions, as will be hereinafter more fully discussed.

With the various elements of the latch carriage assembly 52, as described, the latch carriage assembly may be completely preassembled remote from the first and second hinge members 20 and 28 and prior to mounting the latch carriage assembly in the latch carriage chamber 42 formed between said hinge members. In such preassembly, the latch member 72 is positioned between the carriage spring mounting legs 60 and the spring latch engagement portion 78 is engaged projecting axially through the latch member and oppositely axially through the spring slots -68 of the carriage spring mounting legs 60. The spring end portions 80 project oppositely axially beyond the carriage spring mounting legs 60 and are reversely engaged in the U-shaped extension thereof with the spring seats 66 of the carriage spring mounting legs.

In mounting the preassembled latch carriage assembly 52 in the latch carriage chamber 42 between the first and second hinge members 20 and 28, the hinge knuckles 22, 24 and 26 of the hinge members are axially aligned with, of course, the hinge pin 30 removed and it will be noted,

for purposes of the present invention, the second hinge member 28 is formed with a T-shaped slot opening into the latch carriage chamber. The latch carriage assembly 52 is then inserted into the latch carriage chamber 42, with the hinge pin receiving portions 62 thereof axially aligned with and said portions and the carriage spring mounting legs 60 straddling the intermediate hinge knuckle 24 of the first hinge member 20, that is, said hinge pin receiving portions being radially inserted axially between the hinge knuckles 26 of the second hinge member 28 and said intermediate hinge knuckle 24 of the first hinge member 20. At the same time, the carriage engagement member 56 will be received engaged into the T-shaped slot 82 of the second hinge member 28 so that said engagement member extends co-planar with the part of the second hinge member in which said slot is formed. The completion of the mounting of the latch carriage assembly 52 with the first and second hinge members 20 and 28 is accomplished merely by axially inserting the hinge pin 30 through the axially aligned hinge knuckles 22, 24 and 26 and the hinge pin opening 64 of the carriage hinge pin receiving portions 62, with said hinge pin retaining the first and second hinge members 20 and 28 hingedly movable in the normal manner, except for the self-latching feature of the present invention, and also retaining the latch carriage assembly 52 in operative relationship with the hinge members. During the final insertion of the hinge pin 30, it is necessary to resiliently flex the latch member 72 radially away from the intermediate hinge knuckle 24 of, the first hinge member 20 by depressing or resiliently radially flexing the spring latch engagement portion 78 so that in final assembly, the latch member will either circumferentially engage the knuckle end surface 46 or the knuckle outer circumferential surface 48 of the intermediate hinge knuckle 24 on first hinge member 20, dependent on the particular relative hinged positioning of the first and second hinge members 20 and 28, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

In operation of the first and second hinge members 20 and 28 in relative hinged movement thereof, such hinge members will move in the normal manner in various door open positions and with the exception of the last few degrees of movement toward fully door closed position, at which time, the latch member 72 of the latch carriage assembly 52 will function to resiliently urge the second hinge member 28 into fully closed position relative to the first hinge member 20 and will releasably resiliently retain the hinge members in the fully closed position. As shown in FIG. 5, the second hinge member 28 is in an open position relative to the first hinge member 20, and it will be noted that the knuckle outer circumferential surface 48 of the intermediate hinge knuckle 24 on the first hinge member 20 is slidably received in one of the latch member intermediate recess portions 76, with the spring latch engagement portion 78 being depressed and radially moved intermediate the spring slots 68 in the carriage spring mounting legs 60, while the carriage engagement member 56 secured in the second hinge member T-shaped slot '82 requires the carriage 54 and therefore the entire latch carriage assembly 52, to move exactly hingedly with the second hinge member 28. As the second hinge member 28 is moved from an open position, as shown in FIG. 5 to fully closed position, as shown in FIG. 4 and relative to the first hinge member 20, in the last few degrees of said closing movement, the latch member 72 moving along the knuckle outer circumferential surface 48 will reach the knuckle end surface 46 and one of the latch member projecting portions 74 will urge the latch member circumferentially over the knuckle end surface 46 so that a part of the latch member is resiliently urged radially into the knuckle recess 50 by movement of the spring latch engagement portion 78 in the spring slots 68, thereby resiliently urging the second hinge member 28 into fully closed position and resiliently retaining said second hinge member in said fully closed position by the resilient engagement of the knuckle end surface 46 with the par- 6 ticular intermediate recess portion 76 of the latch member 72, as shown in FIG. 4.

The particular location in the hinged movement of the second hinge member 28 relative to the first hinge member 20 at which the latch member 72 will begin to function in the self-latching movement will be determined not only by the contour of the latch member, but also by the location of the knuckle end surface 46 of the intermediate hinge knuckle 24 on the first hinge member 20, in other words, the circumferential extension of the intermediate hinge knuckle. By shortening the intermediate hinge knuckle 24 and providing a larger knuckle recess 50, the latch member 72 will be functional at an earlier stage in the hinged movement of the second hinge member 28 toward fully closed position relative to the first hinge member 20, and lengthening said intermediate hinge knuckle will have the reverse effect. Also, the resilient self-latching and retention force of the latch member 72 can be varied by varying the strength of the spring 70, either by forming said spring of thicker or thinner spring wire, or by varying the contour thereof.

Various modified forms of the self-latching hinge construction of the present invention are illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 12.

In FIG. 7, all of first hinge member 84, second hinge member 86, hinge pin 88, carriage and spring 92 are virtually thesame as previously described, with the only change being a different form of latch member 94. The latch member 94, in this case, is formed with a cylindrical circumferential surface 96, and otherwise functions as before, as does the remainder of the self-latching hinge. Furthermore, in view of the latch member 94 being t-ubular and telescoped with the spring '92, the carriage 90, spring 92 and latch member may be preassembled as a unit remote from the first and second hinge members 84 and 96, with the same readily mountable and dismountable feature, with the hinge members being provided in said totally preassembled condition.

The modification shown in FIG. 8 is also virtually the same as the previous constructions, including a first hinge member 100, a second hinge member 102, a hinge pin 104, a carriage 106 and a spring 108, all formed the same. Again, the only difference is a generally rectangular cross section latch member 110 having an axially extending slot 111 for engagement with the spring 108 and an arcuate end surface 112 for engagement with an intermediate hinge knuckle 114 of the first hinge member 100. The construction operates virtually the same as those previously described, with the exception that in the mounting of the preassembled carriage 106, spring 108 and latch member 110 with the first and second hinge members 100 and 102, it is necessary to properly position the latch member end surface 112 against the intermediate hinge knuckle 114.

The modifications shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 again are quite similar to those previously described and operate substantially the same, with the important changes involving differences in carriage and spring formation. In the FIG. 9 form, a spring 116 is formed of opposed identical halves 118 and 120 positioned with each half extending axially through and reversely axially through carriage spring slots 122 of carriage 124, latch engagement legs 126 and 128 thereof telescopically engaged in a latch 130 and carriage engagement legs 132 and 134 thereof engaged with the carriage 124. The form shown in FIG. 10 is virtually identical to the form of FIG. 9, with the exception that spring halves 136 and 138 of spring 140 have end portions 142 and 144 thereof looped, as shown, to provide a stronger resilient urging of a latch member 146.

The form shown in FIG. 11 includes a modified latch member 148 having oppositely axially depending tabs 150 received through axially aligned carriage slots 152 of carriage 154. Coil springs 156 are received in engagement member spring recesses 158 and bear against the carriage 154. The latch member 148 is thereby similarly resiliently urged in the direction toward hinge pin 160 so that a self-latching hinge including the modified latch member 148 and the modified mounting thereof will function substantially the same as previously described.

The modified form shown in FIG. 12 is very similar to the form of FIG. 11 and will function in virtually the identical manner. The prime difference is that a different form of springs 162 is shown acting compressively against latch member 164 between the latch member and carriage 166, said springs being engaged with latch member protrusions 168 and carriage protrusions 170 resiliently urging the latch member toward hinge pin 172.

Thus, we have provided, according to the principles of the present invention, a self-latching hinge wherein the entire self-latching mechanism may be provided as a separate, preferably preassembled and independent unit, which may be installed with the hingedly connected hinge members at the usual time of assembly of such hinge members merely by the insertion of the hinge pin therethrough. The entire self-latching feature of the hinge assembly is contained totally within such self-latching mechanism unit so that the self-latching reactions required are not dependent on hinge member size or strength. Appreciable cost savings, both in material and assembly, are, therefore, provided according to the present invention, while still providing a highly etficient and long wearing self-latching hinge assembly.

The self-latching hinge of the present invention has been described herein as adapted for the connection of a door to a doorframe, with the example given being that of cabinet doors and doorframes. It is not intended by the use of such terms, however, to limit the principles of the present invention to such applications alone, but rather the self-latching hinge principles of the present invention are applicable to various uses well known to those skilled in the art, and such uses are fully contemplated. As used herein and in the appended claims, therefore, such terms should be broadly construed and not considered as specific limitations.

We claim:

1. In a self-latching hinge, the combination of: first and second hinge members having interfitting axially aligned hinge knuckles formed thereon, one of said hinge knuckles of said first hinge member having an outer generally circumferentially extending surface terminating in a generally axially extending end, means on one of said hinge members for securing said one member to a door and on the other of said hinge members for securing said other member to a frame; hinge pin means extending axially through said hinge knuckles of said first and second hinge members for hingedly connecting said hinge members movable between door open and door closed positions; and a latch carriage assembly including a carriage separate from said hinge members, an engagement member on said carriage engaged with said second hinge member and requiring movement of said carriage with said second hinge member, means on said carriage receiving said hinge pin means therethrough for mounting said carriage movable with said second hinge member between said hinge member door open and door closed positions, a latch member, resilient means between said latch member and said carriage for biasing said latch member into engagement with said one hinge knuckle end of said first hinge member to releasably resiliently retain said hinge members in said door closed position when said hinge members are moved into said door closed position and for biasing said latch member against and movable along said one hinge knuckle outer surface to permit hinged movement of said hinge members to and from said door open positions when said hinge members are selectively moved from said door closed position.

2. A self-latching hinge as defined in claim 1 in which said resilient means is preassembled to said carriage; and in which said carriage and said carriage engagement memall) ber and said carriage hinge pin receiving means are a preassembled unit.

3. A self-latching hinge as defined in claim 1 in which said latch member and said resilient means are preassembled to said carriage; and in which said carriage and said carriage engagement member and said carriage hinge pin receiving means are a preassembled unit.

4. A self-latching hinge as defined in claim 1 in which said latch member is preassembled to said resilient means and said resilient means is preassembled to said Carriage; and in which said carriage and said carriage engagement member and said carriage hinge pin receiving means are a preassembled unit.

5. A self-latching hinge as defined in claim 1 in which said engagement member includes a plate portion received in a matching opening of said second hinge member in coplanar relationship with a part of said second hinge member.

6. A self-latching hinge as defined in claim 1 in which said engagement member includes a plate portion having oppositely axially depending tabs, said plate portion being received in a matching opening of said second hinge member in coplanar relationship with a part of said second hinge member.

7. A self-latching hinge as defined in claim 1 in which said carriage hinge pin receiving means includes axially spaced hinge pin receiving portions straddling said one hinge knuckle of said first hinge member and receiving said hinge pin means axially therethrough.

8. A self-latching hinge as defined in claim 1 in which said carriage hinge pin receiving means includes axially spaced hinge pin receiving portions straddling said one hinge knuckle of said first hinge member and receiving said hinge pin means axially therethrough; and in which said latch member is located axially between said carriage hinge pin receiving portions.

9. A self-latching hinge as defined in claim 1 in which said resilient means includes spring means having a generally axially extending latch engagement portion terminating axially in continuous oppositely depending end portions, with said end portions extending reversely generally axially inwardly and terminating spaced axially apart and spaced from said latch engagement portion; and in which said latch engagement portion of said spring means is operably engaged with said latch member.

10. A self-latching hinge as defined in claim 1 in which said resilient means includes spring means having a generally axially extending latch engagement portion terminating axially in continuous oppositely depending end portions, with said end portions extending reversely generally axially inwardly and terminating spaced axially apart and spaced from said latch engagement portion; and in which said latch member is tubular and is telescoped over said latch engagement portion of said spring means.

11. A self-latching hinge as defined in claim 1 in which said resilient means includes spring means having a generally axially extending latch engagement portion terminating axially in continuous oppositely depending end portions, with said end portions extending reversely generally axially inwardly and terminating spaced axially apart and spaced from said latch engagement portion; and in which said latch member is tubular and is telescoped over said latch engagement portion of said spring means, said latch member being polygonal in radical cross section having circumferentially spaced projecting portions separated by intermediate recess portions.

12. A self-latching hinge as defined in claim 1 in which said carriage hinge pin receiving means includes axially spaced hinge pin receiving portions straddling said one hinge knuckle of said first hinge member and receiving said hinge pin means axially therethrough, said hinge pin receiving portions having axially aligned slots formed therethrough extending radially away from and spaced radially from said hinge pin means; in which said latch member is located axially between said carriage hinge pin receiving portions; in which said resilient means includes spring means having a generally axially extending latch engagement portion terminating axially in continuous oppositely depending end portions with said end portions extending reversely generally axially inwardly and terminating spaced axially apart engaged with said carriage and spaced from said latch engagement portion, said spring means latch engagement portion extending axially through said slots of said carriage hinge pin receiving portions; and in which said latch engagement portion of said spring means is operably engaged with said latch member axially between said carriage hinge pin receiving portions.

13. A self-latching hinge as defined in claim 1 in which said carriage hinge pin receiving means includes axially spaced hinge pin receiving portions straddling said one hinge knuckle of said first hinge member and receiving said hinge pin means axially therethrough, said hinge pin receiving portions having axially aligned slots formed therethrough extending radially away from and spaced radially from said hinge pin means; in which said latch member is located axially between said carriage hinge pin receiving portions; in which said resilient means includes spring means having a generally axially extending latch engagement portion terminating axially in continuous oppositely depending end portions with said end portions extending reversely generally axially inwardly and terminating spaced axially apart engaged with said carriage and spaced from said latch engagement portion, said spring means latch engagement portion extending axially through said slots of said carriage hinge pin receiving portions; and in which said latch member is tubular and is telescoped over said latch engagement portion of said spring means axially between said carriage hinge pin receiving portions.

14. A self-latching hinge as defined in claim 1 in which said resilient means includes spring means having a generally axially extending latch engagement portion terminating axially in continuous oppositely depending end portions, with said end portions extending reversely generally axially inwardly and terminating spaced axially apart and spaced from said latch engagement portion; in which said latch member is tubular and is telescoped over said latch engagement portion of said spring means; and in which said latch engagement portion of said spring means is axially separated within the axial extent of said latch member.

15. A self-latching hinge as defined in claim 1 in which said carriage hinge pin receiving means includes axially spaced hinge pin receiving portions straddling said one hinge knuckle of said first hinge member and receiving said hinge pin means axially therethrough; in which said latch member is located axially between said carriage hinge pin receiving portions; and in which said resilient means includes spring means engaged between said latch member and said carriage.

16. In a self-latching hinge, the combination of: first and second hinge members having interfitting axially aligned hinge knuckles formed thereon, one of said hinge knuckles of said first hinge member having an outer generally circumferentially extending surface terminating in a generally axially extending end, means on one of said hinge members for securing said one member to a door and on the other of said hinge members for securing said other member to a frame; hinge pin means extending axially through said hinge knuckles of said first and second hinge members for hingedly connecting said hinge members movable between door open and door closed positions; a latch carriage assembly including a unitary carriage separate from said hinge members, said carriage being engaged with said second hinge member movable with said second hinge member through said engagement, means integral on said carriage receiving said hinge pin means therethrough for mounting said carriage movable with said second hinge member between said hinge member door open and door closed positions, a latch member, resilient means between said latch member and said carriage for biasing said latch member into engagement with said one hinge knuckle end of said first hinge member to releasably resiliently retain said hinge members in said door closed position when said hinge members are moved into said door closed position and for biasing said latch member against and movable along said one hinge knuckle outer surface to permit hinged movement of said hinge members to and from said door open positions when said hinge members are selectively moved from said door closed position, and means operably connecting said carriage and said resilient means for assembly with said hinge members as a preassembled unit.

17. A self-latching hinge as defined in claim 16 in which said carriage includes an integral plate portion having opposite axially depending tabs formed thereon, said plate portion being received in a matching opening of said second hinge member in coplanar relationship with a portion of said second hinge member.

18. A self-latching hinge as defined in claim 16 in which said carriage hinge pin receiving means includes axially spaced hinge pin receiving portions straddling said one hinge knuckle of said first hinge member and receiving said hinge pin means axially therethrough; and in which said latch member is located axially between said carriage hinge pin receiving portions.

19. A self-latching hinge as defined in claim 16 in which said carriage hinge pin receiving means includes axially spaced hinge pin receiving portions straddling said one hinge knuckle of said first hinge member and receiving said hinge pin means axially therethrough; in which said latch member is located axially between said carriage hinge pin receiving portions; in which said resilient means includes spring means having a latch engagement portion extending axially through slots formed in said carriage hinge pin receiving portions, said latch engagement portion terminating axially in continuous oppositely depending end portions with said end portions extending reversely generally axially inwardly and terminating spaced axially apart engaged with said carriage and spaced from said latch engagement portion; and in which said latch engagement portion of said spring means is operably engaged with said latch member.

20. A self-latching hinge as defined in claim 16 in which said carriage hinge pin receiving means includes axially spaced hinge pin receiving portions straddling said one hinge knuckle of said first hinge member and receiving said hinge pin means axially therethrough; in which said latch member is located axially between said carriage hinge pin receiving portions; in which said resilient means includes spring means having a latch engagement portion extending axially through slots formed in said carriage hinge pin receiving portions, said latch engagement portion terminating axially in continuous oppositely depending end portions with said end portions extending reversely generally axially inwardly and terminating spaced axially apart engaged with said carriage and spaced from said latch engagement portion; and in which said latch member is tubular and is telescoped over said latch engagement portion of said spring means, said latch member through said telescopic engagement with said spring means being assembled with said carriage and said spring means as a preassembled unit.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,255,484 6/1966 MacDonald 16-180 3,205,532 9/1965 MacDonald 16-180 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner.

D. L. TROUTMAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A SELF-LATCHING HINGE, THE COMBINATION OF: FIRST AND SECOND HINGE MEMBERS HAVING INTERFITTING AXIALLY ALIGNED HINGE KNUCKLES FORMED THEREON, ONE OF SAID HINGE KNUCKLES OF SAID FIRST HINGE MEMBER HAVING AN OUTER GENERALLY CIRCUMFERENTIALLY EXTENDING SURFACE TERMINATING IN A GENERALLY AXIALLY EXTENDING END, MEANS ON ONE OF SAID HINGE MEMBERS FOR SECURING SAID ONE MEMBER TO A DOOR AND ON THE OTHER OF SAID HINGE MEMBERS FOR SECURING SAID OTHER MEMBER TO A FRAME; HINGE PINS MEANS EXTENDING AXIALLY THROUGH SAID HINGE KNUCKLES OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND HINGE MEMBERS FOR HINGEDLY CONNECTING SAID HINGE MEMBERS MOVABLE BETWEEN DOOR OPEN AND DOOR CLOSED POSITIONS; AND A LATCH CARRIAGE ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A CARRIAGE SEPARATE FROM SAID HINGE MEMBERS, AN ENGAGEMENT MEMBER ON SAID CARRIAGE ENGAGED WITH SAID SECOND HINGE MEMBER AND REQUIRING MOVEMENT OF SAID CARRIAGE WITH SAID SECOND HINGE MEMBER, MEANS ON SAID CARRIAGE RECEIVING SAID HINGE PIN MEANS THERETHROUGH FOR MOUNTING SAID CARRIAGE MOVABLE WITH SAID SECOND HINGE MEMBER BETWEEN SAID HINGE MEMBER DOOR OPEN AND DOOR CLOSED POSITIONS, A LATCH MEMBER, RESILIENT MEANS BETWEEN SAID LATCH MEM- 